Congress behind Patel quota agitation, says Anandiben Patel

Ahmedabad: Ahead of the local body polls in the state, Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel yesterday claimed that Congress leaders were behind the Patel quota agitation and asked party workers not to get influenced by their propaganda.

Patel, who is spearheading the poll campaign for the BJP, addressed a gathering of party workers in Surat. "As the elections are approaching, Congress leaders and workers have resorted to various tactics to win the polls by hook or crook. It is now a well established fact that Congress was behind the agitation which took place across the state during the last few months," she said referring to the Patel quota stir.

"As the Congress is now completely exposed for it's role in the agitation, I appeal to BJP workers not to get carried away by such propaganda of Congress," she said.

The members of Patel community led by 22-year-old firebrand leader Hardik Patel have been demanding reservation under OBC category since the past few months. Meanwhile, senior party leader and in-charge of Gujarat BJP Dinesh Sharma, who has joined the campaign trailhere, slammed Congress on the issue of caste-based politics.

During his speech at a rally in Hirawadi area, Sharma raked up the issue of Dadri lynching incident and accused Congress of dividing people on basis of their caste and religion.

"Congress always indulges in doing negative politics to stall the process of development. Be it Dadri episode or caste-based politics in Bihar, Congress only believes in divide and rule philosophy. But, BJP always walks the path of development. I am confident that we will get the blessings of people in this local body polls," he said.